Yaron Stavi: Profoundly Bassist

Yaron Stavi is a bassist who has performed all over the world with many musicians, playing double and electric bass and crossing genres into rock, classical, jazz and World Music. He studied in Berlin and played with orchestras around Europe, North America and Asia, and was principal bassist with the Mahler Youth Orchestra under, among others, Pierre Boulez, Sir Neville Marriner and Mariss Jansons. He has played with violinist Nigel Kennedy and accordion player Richard Galliano, drummer Robert Wyatt and guitarists David Gilmour of Pink Floyd and Phil Manzanera. In 2009 he recorded an album with Polish bandleader, composer and guitarist Jarek Smeitana. He is supremely accomplished and in demand, yet remains one of life's gentle people without a trace of self-importance. Playing live, Stavi's stage presence is palpable. People who know Stavi say the same thinghe is a great guy. So, intrigued at how he remains so grounded in spite of his gifts, I decided to get a bit more on this interesting and affable musician.

Stavi was born in Israel in 1975 and it was where he grew up. He remembers, "there was always music in my family home. Both my parents love music and listen to it a lot. During my childhood they listened mainly to classical music. They used to go to classical music concerts and took me with them at quite an early age. My first memories of music are of hearing the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and other classical concerts." It was not only going to concerts which influenced the young Stavi. His older brother is also a musician and Stavi comments, " My older brother was already playing the piano when I was a little boy, so his playing was always there, too. I loved and lived music from as far back as I can remember. I can't remember any time when music was not a main part of my life. I fell in love with sounds and music since I was born and I still love it more than anything else."

I wondered how Stavi had come to pick up a bass and choose it as his instrument. He explained, " As I said before, my parents exposed me to music at a very early age and I am very grateful for that and thank them for it. The first instrument I played was the violin. I was six years old and chose to play it because I had heard a lot of classical music concerts and LPs. I played the violin for two years and stopped because I didn't like it enough and didn't enjoy practicing, so it wasn't the instrument for me. At the same time, when I was about 6 or maybe 8 I started to hear more kinds of music such as pop and rock and I loved it. One of the first things I heard which completely blew my mind away was the Beatles. I became pretty obsessed with their music and I still think that when it comes to songwriting, singing, harmonies, playing and so on it doesn't get any better. I am still a huge Beatles fan and listen to their music often. It is the best music and the more I listen the more I love and enjoy it. I remember as a young child being attracted to the bass playing of Paul McCartney. Another artist I became a fan of at a very young age was Bruce Springsteen. Back in the 1980s, when I was growing up, he was the biggest thing around and I loved his music. I am still a huge fan and take the chance to see him and the E Street Band live in concert when they are in London or anywhere near me. Other bands and artists I loved while growing up in the 1980s were Dire Straits, Pink Floyd, the Police, Sting, Peter Gabriel and more. There were also many great Israeli artists who inspired me to continue making music and take up different instruments. At the age of 10 I started playing the guitar. My first guitar was acoustic with nylon strings, but later I switched to an electric guitar. I got more and more into rock music. I loved the guitar and still love playing it but I was always attracted to the bass. I remember listening to CDs and watching videos of the Beatles or the Police and others and thinking, 'how cool would it be to play the bass like McCartney, Sting and others?' So when I was 15 I asked my Dad to buy me a Fender electric bass. He did and that was a dream come true. Since then I never stopped playing electric bass. With the bass I felt that I had found my instrument and my voice."

At this time in my life, I'm finally able to express myself through jazz as I have always wanted by becoming fully immersed in the music and lyrics. I love performing American Jazz
Standards and surrounding myself with world class musicians

At this time in my life, I'm finally able to express myself through jazz as I have always wanted by becoming fully immersed in the music and lyrics. I love performing American Jazz
Standards and surrounding myself with world class musicians. There is no other feeling as fulfilling as performing jazz.